PhD students get down to business for Three Minute Thesis final

Liam Pomfret, winner of the recent 3MT UQ Wildcard round, will compete against eight other UQ finalists including his classmate and BEL Faculty final winner, Teegan Green.

The 3MT competition challenges PhD students to compellingly explain their theses to a non-specialist audience in three minutes.

Liam, whose presentation Sharing Online explores how consumers’ sharing behaviours impact privacy, said he was thrilled to be among the UQ finalists.

“Reaching the UQ final has been a real roller-coaster ride for me,” he said.

“Last year I managed to reach the Wildcard final, so I wanted to at least match that effort this year.

“As it was, I almost didn’t get the chance because Behnaz Zarrabi (of the TC Beirne School of Law and runner-up in the BEL Faculty Final) was meant to be competing in the Wildcard.

“When she had to pull out and I got tapped on the shoulder, I was determined to not waste this second chance.

“Liam said his 3MT experience had shaped him into a more effective communicator.

“Competing in the 3MT has assisted me with thinking about how to not just convey my research findings in a presentation, but also to emotionally engage an audience with my research and persuade them of its importance.”

Teegan, whose presentation Trust me, I’m a (Tele) Doctor provides insight into the complexities of virtual healthcare, said she was looking forward to competing.

"To be included amongst the eight finalists is a privilege,” she said.

“I appreciate the opportunity and I’m very excited to participate in the upcoming UQ 3MT finals.”